Catalytic lighter



Feb. 21, 1950 FLORMAN CATALYTIC LIGHTER Filed May 17, 1949 IN VEN TOR.

//Fl //1/6' f2 a/ww/v Patented Feb. 21, 1950 ES EATENT 3.491937 CATALYTIC L anne-13, l r n He m wton? Y- Application-May 17, 1949; Serial No. 93558 3&Clairns;

:This; invention relates to catalytic lighters not the nameless" crof -the ilame type.

FEMS 1w'ellgknowh tovopenate a catalytic lighter in a rmanner' similar toiautomatic pyrophoric lightersby using-one hand only for openingand .closing the "lighter. These known lighterconstructionsn however; have a "number of disadvantages, among-:whichwmaybe; mentioned that the catalytic-elementzeven in closed position of the lighter istalwaysin: contact-with tor remains "exposed to condensation of "fuel-air vapors and further that thessupply of rairxiseffectuated by the movement of a piston operativ'ely'rconnected "with the closure 'means of the lighter :and "not commensurate w-ith the actual ::need :of the airisupplylto the wick retaining the fuel within the lighter.

The present :i-nvention rovercomes these and other drawbacks: and has as one of itsobjects the provisions of means for permitting access "of fresh air to the "fuel and its admixture thereto as well as the passage thereofnto the catalytic element only after the lighter has been fully opened.

--It, is a further object of the present invention toprcvide-means iorpositively guiding the catalyticr element from its closed or sealed position to its openposition and 'vice vlersa.

it It is still another object of the present invention. to proyidemeans afiording ready replaceinent totthe unit carrying thercatalytic element either inmase of repair or if the lighter isto-be changed from aflameless lighter to a'fiame type catalytic lighter.

Yet another object'cf the present invention is to provide means facilitating "the storage of "a largeguantity of fuel within'the casing or receptacle ofvthe lighter andthe' release of such fuel for-admixtureWlthfreshair in a veryneconomical andlefiective manner whereby-the action of the catalytic-element is considerably 1 increased and will continue for an extensive period-of time.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide means contributing to an improved cuter appearance of the lighter, to simplicity and economy .of construction for which only a relatively ':few parts are needed and to -greater adaptability of the lighter to practicalxneeds.

These and other objects will become apparent from the ensuing description of the invention,

which accordingly consists in'the novel features of construction, combinations and arrangements o fzits partsand elements as illustrated in the structure hereinafter disclosed; the .scope of the invention l-being pointed out in the appended claims. a

' In ithea-drawing:

"Fig.1 is"a slde-elevational view partly'in sectioniofta catalytic lighter embodying the :invention.

Fig. 2 is atopsplan view of the lighter of '1.

-Figu3 isna sideelevational view of the upper part of the lighter of Fig. l with its closure parts in partlynopenposition.

Figrl'is a 'view-similar tothat of Fig. 3 with its closure parts fully opened, the casing as well as'theclosure parts of the lighter being shown in vertical section.

Referring now more particularly to the drawingthere isshown in Figul a lighter l0 having'a casing 1.! :in' which-a cylindrical body l-2 is'inserted and attached to the lighter in any known manner, such-as bysoldering as indicated at l'3. the interior of easing l I is partitioned by a screen or wire-mesh elements 14 and 15, between which is held :in position wick It for receiving fuel through "opening I1, which is positioned at the bottom of the "casing in and closeable by a threaded bolt- I38.

"Into'the interior of casing in there extends a cylindrical housing [9, which is hollow, toreceive aplunger zlland'a spring 2| as will be hereinafter further described. Housing I9 is fixed at 23 on base plate '2'2 extending on top of the casing All and-with-which bearing lugs 24 and 25 are connected.

iflhroughbearing lugs 24' and 25 extends a pivot pin"*i2-6 .OIlWl'liCh thcvclosure of "the lighter is moi/ably supported. This c10sure consists of hingedly connected parts 2'! and 28 which'are v loosely:hingedtogether at 2 9.

:Within the cylindrical body 12 there is inserted the catalytic element carrying-unit '40, which is normallypressed againsta base 3| which carries a rubber-'gasketqfl. Unit -t0 is provided with .a tube 33 .y'vhich carries guide "rings 34 and 35 between whichlis loosely mounted a mass 'of felt onsimilar material 31. Thus themass 31 to-' gether'withthe guide rings 34 and 35 'frictionally and slidably engage the inner wall '38 of cylindrical bo'dy12. 'Tube 33 carries'at its upperan'd a receptacle which encloses a catalytic elemen-ts 1-39 :of known construction.

Receptacleio is defined by a circular wall 4 l into which aicigarette may be inserted which in contact with incandescent catalytic element 39 will be lighted.aswillbehereinafter explained. Re ceptacle '55 which is open. on its top end 43 is provided with "a "flangedike outer rim extension I 42. This top end '43 is normally closed'by the *engagement thereof with rubber gasket "44 carried by a round cover 45 of closure part or lever 21. Wound around and swingably supported by pivot pin 26 is an operating two-arm lever 46 terminating into a forward arm 41 and rearward arm 48.

Closure part 21 terminates in two lugs 51 and 52 each of which being provided with an oblique radially extending slot 49 into which may be inserted for loose connection with lever 21 projections 29a and 2 9b of U-shaped closure part 28, whereby an effective hinge connection between closure parts 21 and 28 is achieved.

It will now become apparent that upon pressing lever part 28 in the direction of arrow A together with plunger 20 against the action of spring 2| to a position as shown in Fig. 3, lugs and 52 will come to abut against rearward end 48 of lever 46, whereby the forward end 41 of said lever is brought into engagement position with flange or rim 42.

Upon further downward movement of closure part 28 in the direction of arrow B (Fig. 4) plunger will reach the bottom 53 of plunger housing I 9, whereby forward arm 41 of lever 46 abuts against rim 42 and thus moves unit in the direction of arrow C, whereby gasket 54 carried by receptacle 50 becomes unseated from edge 55 of cylindrical body i2.

Cylindrical body [2 is further provided with a plurality of small openings 56 and 51. Openings 56 are suiiiciently spaced from openings 51 in order to allow a fresh air stream D, produced by pufling on a cigarette inserted in the hollow receptacle 50, to enter the fuel holding portion IE of lighter i0. Thus fresh air is streaming in accordance with arrows D from without the casing l0 through openings 56 and screen I 5, fuel saturated wick I6 and screen I4 through openings 51, whereby a fuel-air vapor mixture is obtained which, when guided through tube 33, impinges upon catalytic element 39 in a well known manner to make the same incandescent and to thereby facilitate lighting of a cigarette.

It will further become apparent that upon release of the thumb of the hand of the operator from closure part or lever 28 plunger 20 which is operatively connected at 58 to closure part 28, will be retracted to its initial position by means of spring 2| which abuts against a shoulder '59 of plunger 2!] and abuts against housing l9 at 60. Thus, the closure 30 with its movable parts 21 and 2B is returned to initial position, whereby lid or cover abuts against the upper edge 43 of the receptacle and forces unit 40 against the seats at and 32, respectively.

It will be gathered from the aforesaid disclosure that the unit 40 which comprises tube 33 with guide rings or plates 34, 35 and intermediate felt layer or layers 31, together with receptacle 50. may be readily withdrawn from within the hollow body !2 and may be replaced by a similar unit or by a lighter unit of the flame type. The remaining parts of the lighter can be easily assembled and disassembled if required and contribute to a positive movement of the catalytic unit from its closed or sealed position to its open position and vice versa.

Although for claritys sake guide disks or plates 34 and 35 are shown to be affixed to tube 33 it is well understood that these disks may be threadedly displaced lengthwise of tube 33 to thereby close and obstruct in closed position of unit 40 openings 56 and 51. The space between disks 34 and 35 is always to be filled with felt or other wick forming material which is capable of collecting remaining fuel-air vapors and thus serves as a primer for the catalytic element 39 as soon as the lighter closure 30 is moved to open position.

Although a two-arm lever 46 is shown as a selfadjusting rocker arm, it is well understood that other means may be employed to bring about positive movements of the unit 40 commensurate with the movements of the closure, 30 of the lighter.

It can thus be seen that there has been provided in accordance with this invention a catalytic lighter which will accomplish the objects as hereinbefore stated and which is characterized by a housing, a unit including a cigarette receiving receptacle having an open end and a catalytic element disposed within said receptacle, said unit being provided with a tube arranged together with said receptacle for movement in said housing to thereby assume operative and inoperative positions, respectively, closure means pivotally supported by said housing and for movement relatively to said unit, said closure means including a swingable lever, and closure parts hingedly and operatively connected with each other, one of said closure parts being adapted to move said lever and carrying a cover for application to said open end of said receptacle to close the same, the other closure part being spring supported and being displaceable relatively to said one closure part, said lever being positioned for moving said unit to open the same and to withdraw said cover therefrom upon displacement of said other closure part against spring action.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A catalytic lighter comprising a housing, a unit including a receptacle having an open end and carrying a catalytic element, said unit being arranged for movement in said housing to assume operative and inoperative positions, respectively, and closure means pivotally mounted on said housing, said closure means including a movable lever and displaceable closure parts, oneoi' said closure parts carrying a cover for application to said open end of said receptacle in inoperative position of said unit, the other closure part be ing spring supported and'being operatively connected to said cover carrying closure part, said lever being positioned for actuation by said one closure part to move said unit into operative position upon displacement of said other closure part against spring action.

2. A catalytic lighter comprising a housing, a unit including a receptacle having an open end and a catalytic element disposed in said receptacle, said unit being arranged for displacement in said housing to assume operative and inoperative positions, respectively, a pivot mounted on said housing, a lever swingable about said pivot, hinged closure parts, one of said closure parts be ing supported by said pivot for movement thereabout and carrying a cover for application to said receptacle in inoperative position of said unit, the other closure part being spring supported and being operatively connected to said cover carrying closure part, and an abutment on said receptacle and positioned in the path of swinging movement of said lever, said lever being positioned for actua tion by said one closure part to move against said abutment and to displace said unit to operative position upon operation of said other closure part against spring action by the finger of a hand;

3. A catalytic lighter comprisinga housing, a unit including a cigarette receiving receptacle posed within said receptacle, said unit being provided with a tube arranged together with said receptacle for movement in said housing to thereby assume operative and inoperative positions, respectively, closure means pivotally supported by said housing and for movement relatively to said unit, said closure means including a swim"- able lever, and closure parts hingedly and operatively connected with each other, one of said closure parts being adapted to move said lever and carrying a cover for application tosaid open end of said receptacle to close the same, the other closure part being spring supported and being displaceable relatively to said one closure part, said lever being positioned for moving said unit to open the same and to withdraw said cover therefrom upon displacement of said other closure part against spring action.

IRVING FLORMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,005,477 Schmitt June 18, 1935 2,170,485 Reilly Aug. 22, 1939 2,189,999 Schmitt Feb. 13, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 586,982 Great Britain Apr. 9, 19'17 

